


Grounded

by Thestruggleismelon



Series: Star Wars Modern AU [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Picks up right after “Suspension”, We get to hear some happy times from Anakin’s childhood, it also speculates on why Shmi was so tough on Anakin in the last chapter, really focuses on an attempt for Anakin to open up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22141444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thestruggleismelon/pseuds/Thestruggleismelon
Summary: Cliegg discusses the terms of his grounding with Anakin and acknowledging that Anakin drew the short straw, he makes some changes to the punishment.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Shmi Skywalker, Cliegg Lars & Anakin Skywalker, Cliegg Lars/Shmi Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Star Wars Modern AU [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1496909
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	Grounded

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year, friends! This installment picks up directly after “Suspension” so, if you haven’t read that, go read it to fully grasp what is happening in the beginning. I tried to elaborate more on the relationship Anakin had with his father and how Cliegg is trying to be the father-figure Anakin needs at the moment. Let me know in the comments if that came across clearly or not if you’d like.
> 
> Feel free to shoot me a message on tumblr I’m listed on there as “thestruggleismelon” as well and follow me if you wanna see memes and shitposts about literally anything.
> 
> Drop a kudos, comment or both, and enjoy!

“Tell me more about your dad,” Padmé demanded, still sitting on Anakin's bed. 

“God, I don’t know where to start. Gran says he loved being a dad. He absolutely adored us kids. Gran Skywalker tells us all these stories on how Dad would play these dumb little jokes on us. One was he’d point to a spot on our shirt and end up flicking us in the nose when we’d look down. He’d laugh, and then Ben and I would laugh.” Anakin smiled as he reminisced. “Another time he had a 36-hour layover in New York, and he’d bought us all stupid little trinkets from the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building and other touristy places in New York. And every time he’d land on his way home from tours, he’d call, and Mom would put the phone on speaker, and he’d tell us all about the interesting people he’d met overseas.” Padmé smiled at him. He seemed lighter than he had in days while he talked. Perhaps it was he’d finally gotten through to Clovis, or he’d gotten his anger out when he’d shouted at his mother. 

“He sounds like he was easy to get along with,” Padmé said, rubbing his arm. 

“Mom and Gran say he was stubborn, kind of like me, but I think he was very laid back.” Anakin kissed her softly. “Everything changed, though. Now we live here, and Mom loves Cleigg. It’s not the same y’know? Cleigg’s been great, but he’s not my father.” 

Padmé nodded. In truth, she didn’t know. Her parents were still living and very much in love with each other. A soft knock sounded at the door, and Cliegg stuck his head in. 

“Hey. Mom said, you got in a fight,” Cliegg said. “She asked me to come and talk to you about this fighting nonsense.”

“I didn’t start it. Padmé was there,” Anakin defended, his fingers tangling in his blankets. 

“I believe you, but sometimes, you just gotta let shit go, dude. Let Sebulba talk. He acts tough, but he’s not worth getting suspended over.” 

“He hit Ahsoka,” Anakin muttered, averting his eyes away from Cleigg’s face. 

“I know. Ahsoka’s nose is a little bruised, and you’ve got a nice shiner starting.” Cleigg tapped Anakin’s right cheek. “Anyway, Mom said you got in a shouting match and asked me to punish you. So, by her word, you’re grounded for a month. No Xbox, No going out for fun, no car. You’re to go to school, to work, and come straight back home. Now, she’s left it up to me for dealing with you for five days straight.” 

“I’m not shoveling the stables again. I did that when I had three days out of school.” Anakin said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Yeah, well, you threw the first punch last time. So, how about you get to fix all the shit sitting in the barn. The combine, the harvester, all of it,” Cliegg offered. 

“Deal.” Anakin agreed. “What about the tutoring sessions for chem? Can I still go to those?”

“Those count as schoolwork. Now, you’re to go to bed. Part of your grounding. I’ll give you 10 minutes to say your goodbyes.” Cliegg stood to leave the two teenagers alone. 

“Wait, Dad-I mean, Cliegg! Do you know why Mom is being so tough on me? Like, Ben got in a fight, and he didn’t get in trouble like I did. Owen got caught sneaking Beru in, and he got a light slap on the wrist. But I defend my sister, and I get grounded for a month. That doesn’t seem fair.” 

“Sorry, Sport, but I don’t know. I guess that she thinks if she starts ripping into you like she is, you’ll go off to school like your brother did, and Owen is planning to do.”

“I don’t like school. Never have and never will.”

“I know. That’s why you’re getting to fix the junk pile in the garage on your five-day vacation.” Cleigg ruffled Anakin’s hair. He glanced at Padmé, “Maybe you can talk some sense into this moron, take him to college with you.” 

“Nah, Ani is better suited to work with his hands. Although, he’d make a great engineer.” Padmé agreed, kneeling behind Anakin and putting her arms around his neck from behind. 

“Eh, it was worth a shot. Your 10 minutes starts when I leave the room. And keep it PG-13.” Cliegg left, closing the door slightly. 

“Guess that’s my cue to start leaving. I’m late for dinner, anyway. You know how my mother is.” Padmé squeezed his neck, kissing his cheek. 

“Yeah. She’d skin you alive.” 

“So, your mom is trying to force you off to college?”

“It’s not going to work. School is stupid, and I’ve always been good at fixing things,” Anakin said, leaning his head back to look at Padmé. 

“5-minute warning!” Shmi shouted up the stairs. 

“That’s enough time for a make-out sesh.”

“No, not today. I’ll drop your homework off every day for you, babe.”

“Please don’t.” 

“I’ll see you later,” she kissed him again, softly, gently, savoring the pressure of his mouth against hers, the warm feeling of his chest engulfing hers. 

“One-minute warning!” 

“Alright, I better go pee and brush my teeth for bed. Have a good night, and enjoy job shadow tomorrow.” 

“Okay. I’ll text you and tell you how it went.” 

“Alright, love you.” He pecked her cheek once more before following her out into the hallway. 

“Times up!”

“We’re coming! Chill!” Anakin shouted back, a hand on the small of Padmé’s back, guiding her toward the exit. “This is where we part; I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yep. Bye.” 

“Bye.” He stood at the front door, watching Padmé run across the street, running through the empty field separating their houses. She’d text him when she got home, she always does.

“Go to bed, Anakin,” Cleigg instructed, placing a hand on Shmi’s shoulder, providing reassurance to her as well as keeping the distance between her and Anakin. 

“Mi mi mi, mimimi,” Anakin mimicked under his breath, matching the rhythm of Cleigg’s order. 

“Anakin,” Ahsoka sighed, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling, and Owen dropped his head to the table. 

“What?” Shmi asked, anger flashing in her eyes. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Anakin said, attempting to fix his attitude before he got in more trouble.

“You said something,” Shmi continued. “Were you mocking him?”

“I was muttering song lyrics. Not mocking. It’s Radiohead.” 

“What song?” Owen asked, attempting to help Anakin out.  


“Creep. I’m not a heathen.” 

“Verse or chorus?”

“Chorus. May I go to bed now?” Owen hummed the chorus to himself. 

“That most definitely was mocking. There wasn’t enough space between the first line and second line, and you missed a syllable in the first line!” Owen declared. 

“So, you can figure that out, but you can’t count out iambic pentameter?” 

“Listen, I don't have an interest in Shakespeare, but I like Radiohead.” 

Anakin rolled his eyes at Owen. “Whatever, I wasn’t mocking, I swear. It was Radiohead; shut up, Owen; I started on an offbeat; I’m going to bed before I get into any more trouble.” He dashed up the steps before anybody could argue with him. He brushed his teeth, used the bathroom, washed his face, and went back to his room before his mom yelled at him again. 

Anakin flopped on his bed, rolling over to look at the picture of his father, smiling to himself. The cut on his cheekbone stinging as the skin pulled around it. He knew deep down that he didn’t need to fret; his father approved of him and would agree that his mother was being a bit too harsh. 


End file.
